Long distance driving

[CraigN]

Hi all,

Getting my nice new Outlander tomorrow, a bit earlier than planned. A quick question though, I was thinking about taking my new car away with me on holiday this Christmas rather than my old car, after all, why have a new toy and not play with it... I need to do 450 miles to get there. I can't find anywhere what the range is on the Outlander assuming I won't be able to charge anywhere on the route.

My old car (3.0 Audi A6) could do that 450 miles and still have way over 1/4 a tank left. I'm not expecting that but it'd be good to know how far it could do at a push.

p.s. that sort of distance would be an extreme rarity, no more than once every couple of years!

 

[Muddywheels]

I've only had mine since September but I doubt you'll get 450 miles without refuelling - furthest I've driven without charging is 140 miles and I averaged 44 mpg and most I've managed on a fill is 9 gallons which I estimate would give a range of 390 miles + 20-30 miles EV = 420 miles but hopefully someone who's done it can be more accurate :?

My last diesel Discovery Sport struggled to do 400 miles on a tank so not overly worried as I too would rarely do this kind of trip and the rest of time I'm saving loads of money :mrgreen:

 

[jaapv]

Despite Mitsubishi having driven the car 900 km from Basel to Amsterdam without refill or charge, I normally fill up about every 400 km when driving long distances on the Autobahn (about 150 kph). Range is not helped by the car being very pessimistic and starting screaming for fuel with 10 l. left in the tank. Taking a spare canister of petrol is very beneficial for your peace of mind, although you will most likely not need it.

 

[Steepndeep]

Not only does it start screaming when 10 l is left, annoying beep every few minutes. When approx 5 l is left it screams every minute and shortly after that stops the ICE and starts running on EV only (EV prio mode :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: ) Had this happening in a mountaneous region in France last summer and had charged to have full battery for the steep inclines. Had a gas-station just 20 km ahead but the stupid car went into EV only mode and screamed to refuel. Stop and restart did not help. So arrived at the gasstation with empty battery and could fill up only to relize there were 4 l fuel left in tank. Idiot engineering again. So whatever your tank is specified in volume you can only use that minus 5 liters.

 

[elm70]

Not only does it start screaming when 10 l is left, annoying beep every few minutes. When approx 5 l is left it screams every minute and shortly after that stops the ICE and starts running on EV only (EV prio mode :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: ) Had this happening in a mountaneous region in France last summer and had charged to have full battery for the steep inclines. Had a gas-station just 20 km ahead but the stupid car went into EV only mode and screamed to refuel. Stop and restart did not help. So arrived at the gasstation with empty battery and could fill up only to relize there were 4 l fuel left in tank. Idiot engineering again. So whatever your tank is specified in volume you can only use that minus 5 liters.

Good to know that with 10L left low fuel warning pop up, and with 5L left this warning is getting more persistent

Thanks

:ugeek:

PS: Right .. about battery usage ... PHEV does always try to deplete the battery first, and then does start the ICE... so possibly in your case you have been in "charge" mode and this got ignored when fuel got low.

 

[anko]

So whatever your tank is specified in volume you can only use that minus 5 liters.

This is not true. As soon as the battery is depleted, it will start burning fuel again. I have experienced this myself (again) this weekend. Managed to add more than 42 liters this morning.

I can understand that the car, when it can decide between emptying the battery or emptying the fuel supply, chooses to empty the battery first. From what I understand using the (very) last bit of fuel is not good for your car for several reasons.

One should be aware though, that when this happens, the car will no longer engage parallel mode (at least not at speeds below 120 km/h). Also, the engine will still be started for heating purposes (when the heater is set high enough), even when the battery is not depleted. These are two decisions I find harder to understand. But maybe, one day we will learn to understand ....

 

[CraigN]

Thanks for the comments. That'll take adjustment then as I'm used to my current car doing 600 miles on a tank when I'm not driving aggressively.

How did Mitsubishi get 900km out of it then? Did they drive with everything off and at 70km/h?

 

[Muddywheels]

It's not just Mitsubishi - most diesel I got in the Discovery Sport tank was 47 litres but I never pushed limit once fuel light came on - others managed 50 going beyond zero miles remaining (tank holds 54 litres) but it goes into limp mode and stops before empty :?

 

[anko]

Thanks for the comments. That'll take adjustment then as I'm used to my current car doing 600 miles on a tank when I'm not driving aggressively.

How did Mitsubishi get 900km out of it then? Did they drive with everything off and at 70km/h?

Well, it was not really 900 km.... http://gas2.org/2014/06/18/mitsubishi-outlander-phev-proves-its-mpg/

 

[CraigN]

Thanks for the comments. That'll take adjustment then as I'm used to my current car doing 600 miles on a tank when I'm not driving aggressively.

How did Mitsubishi get 900km out of it then? Did they drive with everything off and at 70km/h?

Well, it was not really 900 km.... http://gas2.org/2014/06/18/mitsubishi-outlander-phev-proves-its-mpg/

Ah, a "pioneer of ultra efficient driving", so not like most people then!

Also, that article claims Mitsubishi claims a 512 mile range (albeit on the 2014 model) but I can't find that range anywhere on the Mitsubishi website or brochures. Does anyone know the claimed max mileage for the 2016 model?

 

[Muddywheels]

From website

PLUG-IN HYBRID TECHNOLOGY
Using twin electric motors and a highly efficient 2.0 litre petrol engine, the PHEV knows which to choose to match your driving, achieving superior fuel efficiency and optimised performance with a combined range of 541 miles.

http://www.mitsubishi-cars.co.uk/outlander/explore-phev.aspx

They also claim 156 mpg but I no longer believe anything manufacturers say - my Discovery Sport had a claimed 53 mpg but actually did 35 mpg

Nobody else gets away with this kind of false advertising apart from motoring manufacturers :roll:

 

[CraigN]

From website

PLUG-IN HYBRID TECHNOLOGY
Using twin electric motors and a highly efficient 2.0 litre petrol engine, the PHEV knows which to choose to match your driving, achieving superior fuel efficiency and optimised performance with a combined range of 541 miles.

http://www.mitsubishi-cars.co.uk/outlander/explore-phev.aspx

They also claim 156 mpg but I no longer believe anything manufacturers say - my Discovery Sport had a claimed 53 mpg but actually did 35 mpg

Nobody else gets away with this kind of false advertising apart from motoring manufacturers :roll:

Thanks. I must be going blind in my old age, I looked at that page a few times. I suppose I'll see what I get out of it on the trip.

Another question if people don't mind. I have a work colleague who has an Outlander and he says that he likes to fast-charge the car when out having lunch by simply leaving it on "Charge" setting with the engine running. For example, he likes his McDonalds lunches, he gets a drive-through and leaves the car running while eating. I'm not convinced that's the most efficient use to petrol but I wouldn't mind a community view on that!

 

[geoffshep69]

From website

PLUG-IN HYBRID TECHNOLOGY
Using twin electric motors and a highly efficient 2.0 litre petrol engine, the PHEV knows which to choose to match your driving, achieving superior fuel efficiency and optimised performance with a combined range of 541 miles.

http://www.mitsubishi-cars.co.uk/outlander/explore-phev.aspx

They also claim 156 mpg but I no longer believe anything manufacturers say - my Discovery Sport had a claimed 53 mpg but actually did 35 mpg

Nobody else gets away with this kind of false advertising apart from motoring manufacturers :roll:

Thanks. I must be going blind in my old age, I looked at that page a few times. I suppose I'll see what I get out of it on the trip.

Another question if people don't mind. I have a work colleague who has an Outlander and he says that he likes to fast-charge the car when out having lunch by simply leaving it on "Charge" setting with the engine running. For example, he likes his McDonalds lunches, he gets a drive-through and leaves the car running while eating. I'm not convinced that's the most efficient use to petrol but I wouldn't mind a community view on that!

Others will give you chapter and verse on it, but the short and simple answer is that it is a very inefficient method of charging the battery. The fuel you use to do it will significantly outweight the range that you put into the battery so it is not something that should generally be done.

(Not to mention the environmental damage of course through leaving your car running for all that time without it moving anywhere)

 

[jaapv]

From website

PLUG-IN HYBRID TECHNOLOGY
Using twin electric motors and a highly efficient 2.0 litre petrol engine, the PHEV knows which to choose to match your driving, achieving superior fuel efficiency and optimised performance with a combined range of 541 miles.

http://www.mitsubishi-cars.co.uk/outlander/explore-phev.aspx

They also claim 156 mpg but I no longer believe anything manufacturers say - my Discovery Sport had a claimed 53 mpg but actually did 35 mpg

Nobody else gets away with this kind of false advertising apart from motoring manufacturers :roll:

And to prove it they drove the car for 890 Kms. through normal traffic with sealed filler cap and recharge port... You could do it - if you were as good as the guy that did it

 

[anko]

And to prove it they drove the car for 890 Kms.

Hmmm, the article does say 830 ... The official MMSN press release says:

De boordcomputer gaf een kilometerstand van ruim 830 aan toen de Outlander PHEV voor het eerst sinds het vertrek weer werd volgetankt. Er ging 45,14 liter benzine in de tank, wat betekent dat het verbruik 5,44 l/100 km bedroeg. Het elektriciteitsverbruik bedroeg ongeveer 1 kWh/100 km.

To others than Jaap: I think the numbers are international enough, and no translation is needed

 

[jaapv]

Thanks for the correction You are right of course.

 

[elm70]

And to prove it they drove the car for 890 Kms.

Hmmm, the article does say 830 ... The official MMSN press release says:

De boordcomputer gaf een kilometerstand van ruim 830 aan toen de Outlander PHEV voor het eerst sinds het vertrek weer werd volgetankt. Er ging 45,14 liter benzine in de tank, wat betekent dat het verbruik 5,44 l/100 km bedroeg. Het elektriciteitsverbruik bedroeg ongeveer 1 kWh/100 km.

To others than Jaap: I think the numbers are international enough, and no translation is needed

Right .... not even driving slow in the PHEV it is easy to achieve ~20km/L (5L/100Km)

But.. if they did use EV charging station on the way .. then it is possible .. but it is just a tricky way to advertise consumption

In the old good day .. consumption was clear .. (almost at least, only urban consumption was "tricky") .. but reported and official consumption both at 90kmh and 120kmh ... where indication that was reliable ... wondering if there is any official value for the PHEV for these two constant speed ... after battery has been consumed

I know my PHEV at 140kmh does more or less 10L/100km or 10km/L ... that is looking more or less in line with other reported consumption .. at 120km/h I expect consumption can"t be less then 8L/100km .. so .. with 45L tank ... 550km is the max range for who drive "slow" without top up the battery charge

 

[anko]

But.. if they did use EV charging station on the way .. then it is possible .. but it is just a tricky way to advertise consumption

Personally, I have 'achieved' 4200 km without in between petrol fill-ups. A colleague of mine did 7700 km. Do you really think we would pay any attention to a story about a guy managing 800 km without gas fill-ups if he indeed had been recharging in between, like we have? So, no. Of course he did not.

 

[elm70]

But.. if they did use EV charging station on the way .. then it is possible .. but it is just a tricky way to advertise consumption

Personally, I have 'achieved' 4200 km without in between petrol fill-ups. A colleague of mine did 7700 km. Do you really think we would pay any attention to a story about a guy managing 800 km without gas fill-ups if he indeed had been recharging in between, like we have? So, no. Of course he did not.

EDIT: Then if 830km has been done without battery charging ... he must have driven very very slow ... not more then 70/80kmh ... something very uncommon to drive over 10h at such slow speed

 

[jaapv]

He drove in normal traffic, including motorways - but he is a champion economy driver And, of course, no charging.

Actually my average @ 120 kph (GPS) is close to 12 km/l. With ACC on it drops to about 11 km/l. The car is very sensitive to driving style. It is as much about fluidity as about speed.